Origin

Grate ‘to shred’ is from Old French grater ‘grate, scratch’, of Germanic origin; it is related to German kratzen ‘to scratch’. People have being saying that something grates upon them since the early 17th century. The grate in a fire was originally a general word for ‘a grating’: it comes from Old French, based on Latin cratis ‘hurdle’, also found in griddle (Middle English), grill (mid 17th century), grille (mid 17th century), and grid (mid 19th century).

There are 2 main definitions of grate in English:

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noun

We were met by Bob's wife and welcomed as though we had got there on time. There was a lovely coal fire burning in the grate, which had been kept ‘banked up’ all day pending our arrival.

When everyone seemed to be looking the other way, Mr Wright slipped into another room and took off his outfit, and then he quietly returned to the fireside where only a very small fire burned in the grate and sat down.

Some people may opt for electric or gas heaters, instant warmth, but nothing beats the smell and atmosphere of logs burning in the grate, on the barbeque or on a camp fire somewhere.

Origin

Grate ‘to shred’ is from Old French grater ‘grate, scratch’, of Germanic origin; it is related to German kratzen ‘to scratch’. People have being saying that something grates upon them since the early 17th century. The grate in a fire was originally a general word for ‘a grating’: it comes from Old French, based on Latin cratis ‘hurdle’, also found in griddle (Middle English), grill (mid 17th century), grille (mid 17th century), and grid (mid 19th century).